<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>parasitic by kareofbears</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23574607">parasitic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kareofbears/pseuds/kareofbears'>kareofbears</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Escapril [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Poor Ryuji, he's a good boy trapped in a bad boy body</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:06:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23574607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kareofbears/pseuds/kareofbears</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m hurt on the <i>inside,</i> man!” Ryuji whines, throwing his hands in the air. “Why are people so scared of me?”</p><p>“Cause you look like a punk,” Ann says, still grinning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Escapril [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685116</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>190</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>parasitic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>heavily heavily inspired by the park clean up scene in p5 royal</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Five hundred.”</p><p>“Scared of losing? Where’s your faith, leader?”</p><p>“I have plenty of faith, not a lot of cash.”</p><p>“Fair. How about you, Makoto?”</p><p>A thoughtful hum. “I’ll join Ann’s side as well.”</p><p>“I’m hurt.”</p><p>“Yeah, and poor, soon enough. You know how much I hate bad gambles. Yusuke?”</p><p>“I’m on the basis of whatever Akira wants—he’s paying for me.”</p><p>“Hell yeah, I am.”</p><p>“Oh, look there he is!”  </p><p>The four of them watch in anticipation as Ryuji tries to look as approachable as possible, a trembling hand holding a bright pink wallet he saw someone drop a few moments prior. He hunches in on himself, reducing his 5’9 to a 5’6—though everyone doubts that’ll make much of a difference. Tentatively, he taps the shoulder of the young woman.</p><p>She turns around, instinctively leaning away from him. Ann scoffs. “Let’s hope your bank account can handle this, Kurusu.”</p><p>“Just give him a minute.”</p><p>Ryuji tries to say something, but she quickly starts shaking her head and backing away, before half-running to the opposite direction.</p><p>Akira groans, throwing his head back as Ann and Makoto high five. “Woo! Let’s get some crepes, Makoto!”</p><p>Ryuji shuffles back, eyes downcast, wallet still hanging loosely in his hand. “That was a bust.”</p><p>“It’s alright, Ryuji,” Yusuke tries. “In animals, a fight-or-flight instinct runs in all of us, so the fact that neither you nor the woman were hurt is a victory.”</p><p>“I’m hurt on the <i>inside,</i> man!” He whines, throwing his hands in the air. “Why are people so scared of me?”</p><p>“Cause you look like a punk,” Ann says, still grinning.</p><p>Ryuji groans, face flopping into Akira’s shoulder. Akira starts patting him on the head. “Thank you,” he says, voice muffled. </p><p>“You know,” Akira says kindly. “How in <i>Transformers</i>, everyone is scared of them even though they’re there to protect people?”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Akira pulls back and looks Ryuji in the eye. “You are Bumblebee.” </p><p>Ryuji gasps, “For real?”</p><p>“For real. Come on, let’s go to the police station and turn in the wallet.”</p><p>“Oh, good idea!” They all start walking, but Ryuji pauses. “Wait, why aren’t I Optimus Prime?”</p><p>“That won’t work. I’m Optimus Prime. You’re blond.”</p><p>Ann frowns. “Then why aren’t I Bumblebee? At least <i>I’m</i> naturally blonde.”</p><p>“I think you could pull off the Black Widow, Ann.” Makoto says, proud of the few pop culture references she knows. “She’s very powerful, and has guns.” </p><p>“Does…” Yusuke wonders. “Does anyone know what a Transformer is?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>idk why but this is one of my favorite escaprils yet. maybe its because it has group dynamics?</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>